The present invention relates to a seal for a reciprocally moving body that has at least one essentially flat boundary surface extending parallel to its longitudinal axis. The seal has a sealing member with a first sealing lip formed of a polymer material. The first sealing lip extends parallel to the longitudinal axis and abuts the boundary surface.
A seal such as described above is generally known and is used, for example, as a rod seal. The medium to be sealed may be compressed air or hydraulic fluid, for example. The seal is not very satisfactory, however, particularly in the middle area of the essentially flat boundary surfaces, especially when elliptical bodies or bodies having essentially flat boundary surfaces are being sealed. As the service life increases, leakiness, as well as associated leakage, occur in this area. The danger of leakage is further increased by eccentricities in the position of the body to be sealed.
The present invention provides a seal of the type discussed above that will allow all the boundary surfaces of the reciprocally moving body to be reliably sealed and its good working properties to be maintained over a long service life.